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ECSU AAUP Constitution

Constitution of the ECSU Chapter1

Article I — Purpose

This Chapter shall have as its purpose, support of the purposes of the CSU-AAUP as stated in Article II of its Constitution: ” and shall represent the professional and economic interests of the faculty. It shall follow and implement the policies and standards recommended by the National AAUP wherever possible and appropriate [and] shall provide fair and adequate representation through collective bargaining and grievance procedures to all members of the faculty.”

The Chapter shall further have as one of its purposes, support of the purposes of the National Association as stated in Article I of the National Association Constitution: “and to facilitate a more effective cooperation among teachers and research scholars in universities and colleges, and in professional schools of similar grade, for the promotion of the interests of higher education and research, and in general to increase the usefulness, and advance the standards, ideals and welfare of the profession.”

Article II — Membership

Any member in good standing of the American Association of University Professors and the CSU-AAUP who is currently teaching on this campus shall be eligible for the same class of membership in this Chapter.

Article III — Officers

The Officers of the Chapter shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and a Treasurer, with the duties usually assigned for such officers. Officers shall be elected by members in good standing for a term of two years unless sooner relieved by resignation or recall. Officers are eligible for re-election for one additional term of two years.

In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President shall assume that office for the remainder of the unexpired term. In the event of a vacancy in any other office, the President shall, within two weeks, name an interim replacement, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee. If the length of the unexpired term is more than six months a special election shall be held to fill the position, following the procedures of Article V.

Article IV — Committees

The Executive Committee shall be composed of the elected officers of the Chapter, the immediate past President of the Chapter, any elected representative of the Chapter to the CSU-AAUP Council, a contract administrator if appointed by the Executive Committee, and the Chapter representative to the Collective Bargaining Team, also chosen by the Executive Committee. In addition, any member of this Chapter who is an officer of the CSU-AAUP or National AAUP shall have full membership on the Executive Committee. This Committee shall have general responsibility for the conduct of the affairs of the Chapter between meetings of the Chapter except insofar as specific responsibilities are or have been assigned to other committees of the Chapter.

The Nominating Committee shall be composed of three members of the Chapter appointed by the President of the Chapter before April 1 of the year in which elections shall take place or at any time that a vacancy on the Executive Committee occurs. Their duties shall be to nominate members of the Chapter in accordance with the procedures of Article V and conduct elections whenever required by this Constitution.

The Liaison Committee shall consist of the Building and/or Departmental liaisons persons appointed to serve in that capacity for the academic year. The duties of the members of this committee shall consist of providing effective and, in some cases, immediate communications between the Chapter Officers and the membership as required in carrying out the business of the Chapter.

Other Committees may be established by the President of the Chapter or the Executive Committee as needed, or as requested by the Chapter at any meeting.

Article V — Election and Recall Procedure

Three weeks prior to the election, the Nominating Committee shall announce a slate of nominated officers and shall solicit additional nominations from the membership. Such additional nominations must be submitted to the Committee within one week of the publication of the original slate.

Members of the Executive Committee, excluding the immediate past President, the contract administrator, and the Chapter representative to the Collective Bargaining Team, shall be elected by secret ballot at a Chapter meeting held at least two weeks prior to the last day of classes of the Spring semester. Members unable to attend this meeting because of a regularly scheduled class may vote by absentee ballot. Election shall be by a majority of those voting. Those elected shall take office on June 1.

In the event that no candidate receives a majority, there shall be an immediate runoff between the two highest vote receivers, and a majority shall elect; absentee ballots shall be excluded in any runoff. In the event of a tie on the second ballot, the incumbent Executive Committee will choose a winner by secret ballot.

Elected members of the Executive Committee, with the exception of the immediate past President, may be recalled by written ballot of two-thirds of the membership. Recall procedures may be initiated by a majority of those present at a Chapter meeting or by petition of 20% of the membership to the CSU-AAUP, in which case the CSU-AAUP Council shall arrange to conduct a vote to recall within 30 days of receipt by the Council of the petition.

Article VI — Finance

Membership dues will be collected in the integrated dues payment made to CSU-AAUP and reimbursed to the Chapter as provided by the CSU-AAUP Council and ratified by the membership.

Article VII — Amendment Procedure

A proposed amendment to this Constitution shall be presented in writing to the Chapter members. After no fewer than 21 days, the proposed amendment(s) shall be voted on at a general membership meeting.